From a broadside in the Bodleian collection: Harding B 11(3013). (I have added punctuation.)


THE GENTLEMAN SOLDIER

As I walked out one evening, one evening in the Strand,
I met a gentleman soldier; on sentry he did stand.
He kindly saluted me, and bade me pass a joke,
Then he walked me into his sentry box and wrapt me in his cloak.

CHORUS: So never let on, my darling, that ever you past a joke,
That you've been in a sentry box, & wrapt in a soldier's cloak.

It was there we kissed, and there we toyed, till daylight did appear,
When the soldier he put on his cloak and said: "Farewell, my dear,
For don't you hear our trumpet sound? The drums so merrily play.
If it was not for that, my dearest girl, along with you I'd stay."

"Now, soldier, valiant soldier, won't you marry me?"
"What's the use of marrying? Such can never be,
For married I am already, and children I have three,
And to have two wives in the army, when one's too many for me."

"My mammy will be angry, when she does get to know,
That I have been in a sentry box, and wrapt in a soldier's cloak."
"Your mammy cannot be angry, the family to increase,
To have a little soldier boy, to dandle at her ease."

Now when nine months was over, this girl was much to blame.
She had a little soldier boy, and could not tell his name.
How she did curse and rue that night that she did pass a joke,
That she went into the sentry box, and was wrapt in a soldier's cloak!